New Delhi, Sep 21 (IANS) The 41st edition of Fit India Sundays on Cycle turned into a nationwide celebration of fitness, culture, and sustainability as it coincided with World Car Free Day 2025, falling on Monday (September 22).

With the Department of Tourism coming on board as a special partner, this edition of Sundays on Cycle also spotlighted cycling not just as a fitness routine but as a sustainable way to explore the cultural and natural beauty of India.

In the national capital, the cycling drive at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium was marked by a powerful nukkad natak (street play) on the theme “Impact of Car-Free Day on Health & Environment”. The performance given out by school children drew applause for driving home the message of cleaner air, reduced pollution, and safer, people-friendly streets. The World Car Free Street Day, falling on September 22, was celebrated today itself.

The event also coincided with the ongoing Hindi Pakhwara, being celebrated by the Sports Authority of India’s Rajbhasha division from September 14 to 29. The event was also conducted in collaboration with Raahgiri Foundation and My Bikes, while the Rope Skipping activity was led by Dr. Shikha Gupta.

National-level cyclists Rahul Rana, Gaurav Kumar and Priyanshu also joined the Delhi edition, motivating participants to make cycling a part of their daily lives.

At the SAI National Centre of Excellence (NCOE) in Guwahati, the Fit India Sundays on Cycle was organised in partnership with Incredible India (India Tourism). The rally was dedicated to the late music icon Zubeen Garg, who tragically passed away in an accident in Singapore on Friday. Zubeen’s legacy of being the heartthrob of Assam was remembered with emotional tributes during the event.

Following 41 editions, the Fit India Sundays on Cycle initiative has seen a huge scale of participation from over 40,000 locations nationwide, engaging over 7.5 lakh individuals. Organised by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS) in collaboration with the Cycling Federation of India (CFI), Yogasana Bharat, and MY Bharat, the cycling movement has now firmly established itself as one of India’s most impactful fitness campaigns.

Events are organised from State and Union Territory capitals to Sports Authority of India (SAI) Regional Centres, National Centres of Excellence (NCOEs), SAI Training Centres (STCs), Khelo India State Centres of Excellence (KISCEs), and Khelo India Centres (KICs).

–IANS

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